Just bought a set of new new seat covers and started with the rears. After removing the base, I unscrewed the two self tappers that were holding the top of the backrest to rear parcel shelf, the whole backrest then fell out. The weird thing is there is no frame, no wires, no straps- nothing just this top metal piece - and I don't think it should have been held down with self tappers?. It's just foam and horse hair cut in the shape of the backrest! is this standard? Surely there should be at least some sort of frame to pull the seat cover tight? But there's not even any sign of one that might have been removed at some point. Looking on youtube etc, the ones that are shown do seem to have two vertical bars running down to a bottom bar, but they are all later type seats.

Any info on it his is period correct, or not, and how it is secured back in place (other than screwing through the new vinyl cover into the parcel shelf), would be greatly appreciated.
Below is pick of top frame that I'm cleaning up, but that's all there is as far as frame work goes:

Hi Clip,

Mine sound like they’re the same as yours. Both the seat base you sit on and the backrest don’t have any sort of frame. They’re just foam. The bit you sit on has a piece of Masonite looking stuff along the front edge of it and the backrest bit has what I think might be metal (but could be wrong as I haven’t pulled it apart yet) along where it screws onto the parcel shelf.

Rocky

the backrest should be more substantial than just horse hair and foam - I've never had the cover off one but they do have enough of a structure to keep their shape when removed from a car. The wires going from top to bottom are there on earlier cars (MK2)

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Thanks Rocky, that does sound exactly like mine then. Simon, mine is a Mk1 English body, so that might be the difference. The part in the pic is metal and it gives the top its shape, but the vinyl is just glued to that and there is nothing else. I do have a metal rod on the base that locates the seat on the floor to stop it sliding forward, but again, no other frame work, no timber base.

I went ahead today and did what I could do, but it’s not good - covers ended up sloppy, no matter what I tried. So disappointed and p#$&ed off! I now know why it costs thousands for upholstery work. I just hope I don’t bugger up the fronts, I can’t afford to get it fixed up if I do

Sounds like you have the UK style seat - A UK car or early 850?
These have the horsehair and no seat frames.
Check the Newton Commercial site.
They have a PDF with instructions on how to re-cover the seat.

Yep, that’s it exactly (https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1613/ ... 8138287629), might have to try and unglue it and start all over again! Thanks Indigo